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Sweden boosts defence budget

Sweden will increase its defence spending by 500 million Swedish Krona (€52.5 million) this year, defence minister Peter Hultqvist said on Monday. He argued that it was important for the country, which is not a Nato member, to respond to "a deterioration of the security situation" due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and other military activities. Sweden announced last week that it would also re-introduce conscription.